Early voting ends today in Houston City Council District C runoff

Early voting ended Tuesday in the Houston City Council District C runoff, leaving only one more chance on Saturday for voters in the district to choose the next council member who will serve through Jan. 1, 2028. The race is limited to people who live in District C, and the winner will fill the vacancy created when Abbie Kamin resigned to run for Harris County Attorney.

The runoff came after seven candidates appeared on the April 4 special election ballot and no one topped 50% of the vote. Joe Panzarella finished first with 3,131 votes, or 33.34%, and Nick Hellyar followed with 2,117 votes, or 22.54%. Under the city’s runoff rules, that sends the two candidates back to voters for a final decision.

Election Day is Saturday, May 16, with polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Harris County set early voting from April 29 through May 12, with weekday and Saturday hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday hours from noon to 7 p.m. The deadline to apply for a ballot by mail was May 5.

The city listed early voting sites at the Harris County Attorney Conference Center, Bayland Park Community Center, Candlelight Park Community Center, Metropolitan Multi Service Center, Courtyard by Marriott West University and SPJST Lodge 88. Those sites served the district’s voters during the early voting window as the field narrowed from seven candidates to two.

The runoff decides more than a short-term vacancy. The seat will carry the winner through the rest of Kamin’s term, giving District C a council member until the start of 2028. For neighborhoods across the district, Saturday’s result will set who represents them at City Hall on issues that land directly in council’s hands for the next two and a half years.